AYANNA GREGORY
Beautiful Flower voted Black Radio Exclusive Magazine's Album Of The Week!!! Ayanna's album is a brilliant work of R&B and neo-soul Her sound can definite
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Daughter of comedian, social activist and health advocate Dick Gregory, this super vocal talent will soon make her own mark on fame with her long awaited debut album Beautiful Flower.
Ayanna's musical roots are steeped in the struggle of the "Freedom Movement". For this child of Human Rights activist Dick Gregory, the seeds and songs for justice were planted at birth. Thus, she decided early in life that her gift of song would be her gift to the struggle. In 1990, Ayanna became a voice for "The Movement" as a student activist at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Here she was called on to sing at marches, rallies and demonstrations against the war in the Persian Gulf. From there and for the next decade, Ayanna would become a major voice within the various cultural, political, and spiritual movements in Washington, D.C.
In 1992, Ayanna joined 2000 Black, a "message music" project founded by Mamadi Nyasuma in Washington, D.C. She would go on to record, perform and tour with this group for the next six years. 2000 Black allowed Ayanna to grow as a vocalist, musician and performer and maintain her mission to use music as a teaching tool and healing mechanism. By 1995, Ayanna was gaining recognition as a solo vocalist. As an emerging Soul artist, she began performing locally, nationally and internationally at clubs, theaters, music festivals and political events. In 1998, Ayanna joined Black Notes, percussion, spoken word and music ensemble. After recording and performing with Black Notes for a year, she began her pursuit of a solo music career.
Ayanna has had the honor of performing at The Kennedy Center, Blues Alley, the Carter Barron and Fort Dupont in Washington, D.C., the 25th annual African Street Festival in Brooklyn, the 1995 African-African American Summit in Dakar, Senegal, the 1996 National Hip Hop Summit in Philadelphia, the 1996 and 1997 Hampton Jazz Festivals, the 1997 Million Women March in Philadelphia, the 1997 African-African American Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, the 1999 African-African American Summit in Accra, Ghana, the 2000 Tribute to Dick Gregory in Washington, D.C. and the 2001 Black Radio Exclusive Conference in Washington, D.C.
She's also a recording vocalist who is featured on various jazz, hip hop, R&B,
and spoken word CD projects including: "2000 Black" Volumes 1 and 2,
Rejuv-a-Nation Records, 1992 and 1995 * "Travels" Priest Da Nomad, MW2 Entertainment, 1998 "Listen" The Will Smith Jazz Quartet And Co., Het Heru Productions, 1998 * "Miracle in Progress" Black Notes, Music Message Records, 1998.Band/artist history
Four years in the making, "Beautiful Flower" has finally emerged. This CD project reflects a highly spiritual and deeply soulful musical journey. "Beautiful Flower" is soul music, literally and figuratively. In the traditional sense, it celebrates a mixture of soul genres: R&B, Gospel, Blues, Hip Hop and Spiritual. But most importantly, the songs inspire wellness of mind, body and spirit. Lastly, "Beautiful Flower" is a personal story. As the major writer on this project, Ayanna has pulled from the various aspects of her life and spirit to create the themes found in "Beautiful Flower". In fact, most of the songs were answers to her own prayers and questions. Thus, Ayanna is clear that her music does not come from her but rather through her.
As a vocalist, performer, musician, writer and producer, Ayanna continues to grow and etch out her own place. As an artist, Ayanna will continue to be a musical messenger for the planet.Have you performed in front of an audience?She's had the privilege of sharing the stage with Ahmad Jamal, Lou Donaldson, Roy Ayers, Will Downing, Jennifer Holiday, Najee, Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, Maya Angelou, the Last Poets, Donald Byrd, Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Bill Cosby, Stevie Wonder and Dick Gregory.
Your musical influences
Beautiful Flower voted Black Radio Exclusive Magazine's Album Of The Week!!!
"Ayanna's album is a brilliant work of R&B and neo-soul"
"Her sound can definitely be compared to an India Arie!"
"Ayanna skillfully covers two Stevie Wonder tracks....Her presentation of Stevie's "They Won't Go" is a truly great track!"Anything else?
REVIEWS:
Phenomenal Woman with a Phenomenal Voice....
Reviewer: Mia Miata (click for website)
Wow!!!! What else can I say? Incredible voice with an incredible message. Like a Phoenix, the album took me to higher and higher plateaus. Thank you, Ayanna for a powerful, unfitting, and stellar effort.
I think the CD is very, very nice and i enjoice listening to it.
Reviewer: Douglas Muhammad
I love conscious tone and realness of the words and the music.
A stunning debut, with a richness that's simply mindblowing!
Reviewer: Dusty Grooves
Incredibly spiritual soul from Ayanna Gregory -- a stunning debut, with a richness that's simply mindblowing! Ayanna's got a musical vision that stretches way past the simple themes of some of her soul music contemporaries -- pushing for a righteous vision that embraces a world of peace and beauty, hitting themes of the sort that we've come to love from the group Fertile Ground, who are contemporaries of Ayanna's on the Maryland scene. The production is tremendous -- not just beats and keys, but a sophisticated approach that also brings in strings, vocal choruses, and other elements that help elevate the music to a level that matches the message! The righteousness of the album's no surprise, considering that Ayanna's the daughter of activist Dick Gregory -- who makes an appearance on one track on the set -- but Ayanna's vision is a bit different than that of her father, and is expressed here in incredibly beautiful terms -- far more redemptive than prescriptive!
WOW !!!!!!
Reviewer: Tonya Lea
A sound Healing-so refreshing -I looooove this cd -much love
Live u get a 10 from me
Reviewer: Charlie
I went to hear her live on 12/12/03 in PG Plaza Mall in Maryland....She has a beautiful voice...This is coming someone who sings as well....the energy she has and the feelings she puts into her songs...it was OUTSTANDING....I was hoping to cross paths with her again...I wished I had stayed and chatted with her afterwards...I wish you (Ayanna) all the hope and success with your CD and career......U did your thing when u hit that Donnie Halfaway *sp* song....
Soulfully powerful voice, lyrics, music...
Reviewer: Lasana
Beautiful Flower is an awesome collection of music, from start to finish. Ayanna's voice is so beautifully rich and soulful, and touches the higher aspects of my being with creative, insightful, positive and spiritual lyrics, weaved into wonderfully dynamic and melodious musical compositions. The hip-hop and up-tempo pieces are superb, and deliver timely messages. But I was particularly moved by the ballads, with Ayanna's golden voice singing scintillating lead lyrics and sweet, well-placed background vocals supported by high-quality, multi-dimensional keyboard sounds. This CD represents the power of high-level music--music that reaches deep inside and takes your soul gently by the hand and leads you on a journey to a wonderful place.
A BEAUTIFUL and MASTERFUL WORK OF ART
Reviewer: Jannette Price
I love the CD and the positive lyrical content. Very thought provoking!! One of my favorite songs is definitely Changes. It's brilliant. I certainly will the best for Ayanna and may she be picked up by a major label.
Brilliant, beautiful and bountiful, the flower has bloomed!
Reviewer: Rosina Riley
Ayanna Gregory's music is intensely captivating and her voice is masterfully magnificent. The girl is good, she takes spirituality to the next level encompassing history, culture and hiphop. Those moved by music will love it as I do.
Essential Soul
Reviewer: Steve Johnson
Had to buy this album after hearing Far Away at www.soulwalking.co.uk, this track is a future classic and one of my favourites of the year. After listening to the cd I also adore Changes, Phoenix and Loving You is Everything.So much feeling and emotion in Ayannas voice. Thanks Ayanna for an excellent piece of work. Would have given your cd five stars but for me the tracks Beautiful Flower and I Am Here ruined by an annoying rap had to press the skip button, sorry!
She conveys a depth of emotion and range that allows her to be heard on subjects
Reviewer: seeingblack.com (click for website)
On the Fly: When vocalist Ayanna Gregory rocked D.C.'s Blues Alley recently, she displayed a stylistic versatility that carried her effortlessly from jazz to funk to freedom songs. She conveys a depth of emotion and range that allows her to be heard on subjects far and beyond the latest hot or tired flame. She recently released her debut CD titled "Beautiful Flower" andnot that we care about bloodlinesyes she is Dick Gregory's baby girl.
Nina Simone of modern day? meaningful lyrics with jazzy/organic soul sound!
Reviewer:
Nina Simone of modern day? meaningful lyrics with jazzy/organic soul sound!
I cannot recommend this releases highly enough.
Reviewer: Toby Walker (click for website)
Ayanna has a voice that could be compared somewhere beContact
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Comments (4)
Hi, I`m a upcoming Rap artist with a major deal. I work currently on my album and need hot beatz. I feel yor music your Beatz are very TIGHT! Please contact me at (mcadriano@okay.ms)
I pay also for Beatz, Peace!
I'm enjoying your music. My Name is DJ F from F-n-F Studio and we are looking for new talent. If you are interested in studio time, please leave me a message and we can talk business.
fnf1989@msn.com
subtitle "looking for studio time"
Wasup baby keep doing your thing! And visit our page and check out the song
WHERE I'M FROM
the city anthem right here
(everybody from 202, 301, 703...DC/MD/VA has gotta feel this one)
and let us know what ya'll think about it!
Thanks for listening appreciate it
Wusup,
Your sh***'s pretty tight.
Me and my boy got sum beats you might be digging, check us out man:
www.soundclick.com/flawlesssounds
Get @ us. We can do some hot sh*** if your with it. Just pick a beat & we'll send you it via e-mail or something, holla.
